A heroin addict who starved her two dogs, left them with infected wounds and failed to treat their fleas has been banned from keeping animals for 10 years.

A heroin addict who starved her two dogs, left them with infected wounds and failed to treat their fleas has been banned from keeping animals for 10 years.

Julie Sowerby claimed her world fell apart after the death of her five-month-old baby and the imprisonment of her husband, leaving her unable to look after the two bull terriers.

When RSPCA inspectors arrived at her home in Wilbury Place, Blakelaw, Newcastle, they found both dogs were limping from where their claws had grown into the pads of their paws.

Gina, a black and white 10-year-old English bull terrier and two-year-old Tat were also suffering from dehydration, malnutrition, hair loss and infected scabs from where they had licked the wounds on their feet.

Their coats were greasy, smelt of urine and were covered in flea dirt. They had each lost one quarter of their body weight through neglect.

Clive McKeag, prosecuting for the RSPCA, said: "The claws on the dogs' feet has turned right around and were digging into the paws, making it virtually impossible for them to walk.

"Where the dogs had tried to lick the wounds on their paws, the area had become infected and that had caused ulcers.

"When the inspector entered the house, one of the dogs was trying to walk down the stairs but was having great difficulty because of the state of her paws.

"The length of the nails showed not only had they not been taken to a vet but they had not been getting any exercise as this would have worn the claws down."

Magistrates were shown these pictures of the dogs taken before veterinary procedures costing #737.

The RSPCA has spent #6,770 looking after the dogs since they were taken in last January.

Although Sowerby claimed she could not afford to feed the dogs properly or pay for vets' fees, police discovered #500 in her house when they came to remove the animals.

A vet who examined the dogs said they had been subjected to unnecessary suffering because they had inadequate food and water, had not been seen by a vet, had not had their fleas treated and had not had their claws trimmed.

Sowerby, who is currently serving a nine- month jail term for child cruelty, said the dogs belonged to her husband Michael.

RSPCA Inspector Gaye Bayliss said: "This was a serious offence of neglect and it was awful to see the misery inflicted on two nice animals.

"Hopefully this lady will not keep animals for the next 10 years and we would urge members of the public to inform us of anybody who is keeping an animal illegally.

"Both Gina and Tat are doing well and we are looking to re-home Tat in the near future."